Mail-handling apparatus



T. GRUBB.

MAIL HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-29. I9I9.

$346M 0 Patented July 6, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- INVENTOR.

T. GRUBB.

MAN. HANDLING APPARATUS.

PPLICA 0N FILED D Patented July 6, 19%.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVEN. 0R. 1? T, amw a WITNESS: I $1 @Wimwomn.

TAGRUBB.

MAIL HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man fi.Ec.29. 1919.

Patented July 6, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3 1 l lllll mama m .a. a m M m m w I w Q. W

T. GRUBB;

MAIL-HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man 1150.29. 1919.

1,346,01 8. P n d July 6, 192%.

4 SHEETS -SHEET 4.

PA T E NT OF F I CE.

THOMAS cause, or Jcnnsron- CITY, rumors.

NATL-HANDLING AIPPARA'IUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Application filed December 29, 1919. Serial No. 347,955.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Gnnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnston City, in the county of Williamson and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Handling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in mail handling apparatus, of that type designed for use in post oiiices, wherein the mail is distributed in independent boxes in accordance with an alphabetical arrange ment.

The improved apparatus is designed to provide a series of independent sets of boxes, each set of boxes to include a sufiicient num. ber of independent boxes to take care of a certain part of the mail under the alphabetical distribution. For example, one set of boxes will take care of all mail classified under the letter A, the next set of. boxes the mail classified under the letter. B and so on,

. the boxes of each set being further divided in accordance with a more specific classification. Each set of boxes is mounted for in dependent travel upon a track way and the respective track ways are arranged to converge to a point of distribution, as for example the delivery window of the post oilice. The postal clerk by the operation of suitable mechanism can direct the move.- ment of any particular set of boxes from a. remote point to a position convenient to him, so that he may select from the proper box the mail called for. The boxes of each set arranged in vertical rows and each row is independently movable longitudinally thereof, with a compensating or balancing means between the rows of any. one set,.whereby the postal clerk may readily elevate the particularly desired set in order that he may conveniently reach the lower box of such set to remove the mail thereof.

The series of boxes are preferably arranged on track ways which converge to a point of distribution, and diverge therefrom so that at the rear or remote point, which in the normal position of the boxes, the respective sets of boxes are so separated as to be readily accessible for the distribution of mail thereto. Upon the proper operation however, any one particular set of boxes may be brought to the converging point,

which is of course within convenient reach of the postal clerk. Therefore'all boxes normally positioned to readily permit the distribution of mail thereto, may at the will of the operator be brought to a single posi-' tionconvenient of access in order that the desired mail may be readily and quickly found and delivered to the addressee. V

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of the improved apparatus.

2 is a plan of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of the improved apparatus.

Fig. l is a sectional view on line lt of F 5.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the frame in which the particular set" of boxes is housed.

Fig. 6 is a view in rear elevation of one set of boxes, illustrating particularly the compensating or balancing means for the boxes to permit of their vertical movement.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in elevation illustrating the means whereby the operator may direct a particular set of boxes from the inoperative position to the operative POSItlOlL, V

Fig. 8- is an enlarged detail showing the track mounting of one set of boxes.

The improved mail handling apparatus comprises a series of track ways 1, arranged upon the floor or other support, these track ways converging from their rear toward their forward ends, and terminating at an upright post 2. An appropriate overhead support 3 is provided from which, above each track, extends a beam t, the forward ends of which converge and terminate at the post 2. Each beam a. carries a. trackway 5 and the trackways 5 are of course located immediately above the underlyingrespective trackways l. trackways, that is the lower trackway and an upper trackway are designed to slidably support what will be hereinafter termed a set of'boxes, and these boxes are mounted in a frame work to insure their movement along the trackway as a unit while permitting their independent movement vertically at will. This frame work comprises a series of metallic casings 6 having a rear wall 7 and side walls 8 corresponding in height to the number of superimposed boxes of any Each corresponding pair of ment of the parts the boxes open laterally.

one vertical row. The forward ends of the side walls 8 terminate in lateral flanges 9, and the frames 6, corresponding in number to the desired number of rows of boxes of,

one unit are secured together by a backing 10, fixed to their rear walls 7. Clamps l1 engage the flanges 9 of the side walls 8 of adjacent frames so that the frames consti-- gether at their forward and rear ends. The

boxes 12 arearranged within the particular frames 6, and these boxes are preferably of a sizetoreceive the character of mail for which they are intended, as papers, letters or the like, and fit between the walls 8 and within the flanges 9, thus being slidably held in the respective frames. The frames 6 at the upper and lower end areprovided with means, preferably roller bearing members 13 adapted to cooperate withthe respective trackways so that the frames and the boxes contained are slidably mounted on the respective trackways. In this arrangeof the track, that is the backs 7 of the frames 6 are parallel to the track, so that an end of a series of boxesis presented towardthepost 2, as will be apparent from the drawings.

Means are provided whereby any series of boxes, of which there may be any number, as will be understood, may, at the will of the operator, be forced lengthwise of the track, from their remote'position, that is from a position at the diverging end of the track to a position immediately adjacent-the post 2 or at the converging end ofthe track. In the latter'position, the respective boxes are within convenient reach of the postal clerk so that he may remove the mail therefrom atwill. The means for operating the particular sets of boxes includes a lever 14: pivotally supported at 15 at its lower end from one of the uprights of the fixed frame, the upper'end of said lever being connected by a cable 16, passing over a suitable idler to a position pendent on the post 2, that is within the reach of the operator. Each cable 16 will be marked at its operating end to indicate the particular set of boxes with V which it cooperates. A pivoted latch lever 17 is mounted upon the frame support and this lever is adapted to engage the catch18 for locking the set of boxes in their rearmost or inoperative position The forward end of the latch lever 17 is formed to beengaged by the lever 14 so that upon the operation of said lever by the cable 16 the latch lever will be released from the catch 18 and the set of boxes freed. A plunger bar 19 is slidably' rear end of the particular set of boxes. The bar 19 is held retracted by a spring 21.

. Therefore, the operator desiring a partlcular set of boxes to be brought to the operawardly against the boxes, and therefore pro-' pelling said set of boxes along the respective track ways until it reaches the position adjacent the post 2; a As before statedthe rows of boxes are vertically movable in the frames so that the mail in the lower box may be removed'without bending over and I provide means, for counterbalancing one row of boxes by an other row so as to make the row movable with but little effort. The rear parts of the frames are provided with slots 22 which are arranged adjacent the upper and lower ends of the frames and these slots'act as guides for the rows of boxes by receiving the ends of shafts 23 carried by the said rows. These slots and shafts also act to limit the vertical movement of the rows of boxes. The lower shaft carries pulleys 24 and a cable 25 has one end connected to the frame at the upper part thereof, as at 26 and said cable passes around the pulley 24 of the first row of boxes then upwardly around a stationary top of the frame, where it is connected at 29. Thelength of the cable is such that one of the rows of boxes will be held in raised position while the other two rows are in lowered position. It will thus be seen that when one of the lower rows of boxes is raised the upper 'row will be lowered. In this way the rows of boxesmay be raised with but little efiort so that when it is desired to remove mail from'the lower boxes it is simply necessary to raiserthe rows to bring said lower boxes in a position where the mail therefrom maybe removed without bending.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I'may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus describedthe invention what is claimed is 1. A mail handling apparatus comprising a series of boxes arranged in sets, means for adjusting the sets vertically, independent horizontal trackways for each set and means whereby any particular set may be directed from one point to another along the trackway.

2. A mail handling apparatus comprising a series of boxes arranged in sets, means for adjusting the boxes vertically, independent horizontal trackways for each set, rollers at the upper and lower ends of each set of boxes for engaging the trackways and means whereby the boxes of any one set may be moved along its trackway from one position to another.

3. A mail handling apparatus comprising a series of upper and lower trackways, a set of boxes supported independently along the trackways, each set of boxes comprising independently movable vertical rows of boxes, means for locking the boxes at one end of the trackway and means operable from the other end of the trackway for releasing the lock and forcing the set of boxes lengthwise of the trackway.

a. A mail handling apparatus comprising a series of upper and lower trackways, a set of boxes supported independently along the trackways, each set of boxes comprising in dependently movable vertical rows of boxes, means for locking the boxes at one end of the trackway and means operable from the other end of the trackway for releasing the lock and forcing the set of boxes lengthwise of the trackway, said means comprising a lever, a cable for operating the same, means on the lever for releasing the lock and a spring pressure bar put under tension in the movement of the lever to release the lock.

5. A mail handling apparatus comprising a series of boxes arranged in sets, a frame for each set of boxes, trackways for movably supporting the frames, means for directing the frames longitudinally of the trackways, each set of boxes comprising independently movable vertical rows of boxes and cable connections between the boxes of each vertical row of the sets whereby in the movement of one set of boxes the weight of the others will compensate for such movement.

6. A mail handling apparatus comprising a horizontal trackway, frames movably sup ported thereon, means for securing the frames together, and a vertical row of boxes mounted in each frame and movable vertically therein. a

7. A mail handling apparatus comprising a series of trackways, a mail box receiving frame movable on each trackway and including rear walls, side walls and flanges to overlie the forward edges of the boxes, a row of boxes vertical-1y slidable in the frame and connections between the frames and the boxes to limit the vertical movement of any particular row.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAS GRUBB. 

